Wirral man jailed for nine years after 'honey trap' assault

A Wirral man who battered a mature student after luring him into a "honey trap" sting has been given a nine-year jail term.

A court heard that a specialist consultant said the victim's severe facial injuries were like those meted out in punishment beatings during the troubles in Northern Ireland and he has been left with sight problems.

The victim, John Dee, a mature student, met strangers James Sutton and his partner Sian Corlett in Liverpool city centre while he was out celebrating completing his final university exams.

They shared a drink and while in a bar Miss Corlett was "dancing provocatively" and Sutton asked Mr Dee if he wanted to have sex with her.

Later he asked if he wanted to go home with them and assuming from what they had said they lived in Bootle, where he resided, he agreed.

But instead the taxi took them to Wallasey and he became increasingly uneasy. They were let into the couple's home in Geneva Road by her mum, who was there with her boyfriend David Bond, and they all had a glass of wine.

"After a short time Miss Corlett began dancing provocatively in front of Mr Dee.

Her mother and Bond suggested he go to a bank and get cash and Miss Corlett said: "You can have me for $300 or me and my mum for £400."

He declined and she responded by slapping him across the face.

He asked Sutton to have a word with her but he got to his feet, walked over and began punching him in the face, Philip Astbury, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court.

He remembered falling onto a sofa where he was repeatedly struck and police later found blood splattering on the walls and floor.

"Sutton and Bond dragged him by the feet through the hallway, down the step into the front yard and dragged him 40 yards along the street before dumping him outside someone's house, where he was found by police."

Officers, who had arrived at 2.10am, found him covered in and surrounded by blood and just regaining consciousness. They also saw people on a nearby doorstep shouting and covered in blood.

After initial treatment at Arrowe Park Hospital, Mr Dee was transferred to the maxillofacial unit at Aintree.

He had suffered significantly displaced nasal fractures and a fractured eye socket, damaged teeth and a full thickness laceration through his upper lip and mouth and he later underwent surgery.

Jailing 25-year-old Sutton, who was convicted of wounding with intent on May 26, 2012, after a trial, the judge Recorder David Turner, QC, said that the case involved " a honey trap" enticing someone with sex with the aim of robbing them.

"This is not a new trick, it is as old as Maggie May who lured sailors and captains of whalers."

Bond, of Hayfield Place, Moreton, who was cleared of wounding on the judge's direction after pleading guilty to assisting an offender, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years and placed under supervision for 12 months.

Recorder Turner told him, "Your behaviour was contemptible. You assisted in dragging the victim along the road. I have a real suspicion you did more than you said but I have to sentence you on the basis you pleaded guilty.

Sian Corlett also denied wounding and was found not guilty.

Mr Dee told the court that he had a metal plate placed in his fractured eye socket and suffers from double vision. He has had three operations and faces three more which may or may not be successful.